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Despite bumpy ride, job of closer is Marmol's

Despite bumpy ride, job of closer is Marmol's

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Carlos Marmol

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CHICAGO -- The Cubs will be doing a lot of evaluating in the final 7 1/2 weeks of the season, but one position they don't have to worry about is closer. That's Carlos Marmol's job, even if it has been a rocky ride.

"Knock on wood, he's been as good as anybody in baseball since he's been back in the closer's role in the save opportunities he's had," manager Dale Sveum said on Monday.

Marmol was removed from the role in mid-May, then reinstated on June 15, and he has converted his last 13 save opportunities, giving up one run over 12 1/3 innings in those games.

Sveum said that Marmol handled the switch well.

"He was as professional and as good about it as anybody could handle that situation, and he did what he had to do to get back and be one of the top-of-the-line closers in baseball," Sveum said. "I'm comfortable with him. He's done a great job."

One thing the Cubs have to watch in the final games is how much they use setup pitchers Shawn Camp and James Russell, who rank first and third in appearances in the Majors with 58 and 56 games, respectively. The Cubs added an eighth reliever, Michael Bowden, on Monday, calling him up from Triple-A Iowa.